METROMOVEMENT- A Transnaturism Experience

Metromovement is an exstension of the Transnaturism work. Jenna Balfe’s WEIRD MIAMI Metro Tour will give attendees a look behind the scenes into her practice, as she’ll discuss how Miami specifically informs her work while navigating sites downtown via the Metromover. In true Jenna fashion, she’ll incorporate moments of nature, empathy, performance, surprise, and audience engagement throughout the tour as she previews Transnaturism, her upcoming solo project with BFI.

See Video Here:

Metromovement is presented with support from the Downtown Development Authority.

1st stop - Omni People mover stop- A strange creature and tour guide also known as Jenna Balfe will emerge from an overlooked bush labyrinth to hand people “informational zines” from just over the hedges.

Weird People Mover Intervention - A disenchanted Dennis Fuller boards the metromover to play a triumphant apocolyptic tune. Gazing out the window with dreams that can only live in song.

3rd stop- Bayfront Park designed by the artist Isamu Noguchi . Misael and Baker experience an existential crisis related to the failed premise of the landscape design of the park intended to be an oasis within the city, not an escape from it. Also tackling the feelings of the individual in the city of other's, alone but enveloped. The couple are searching for each other, with each other but disconnected by the overarching weight of individuality. They struggle against and within the structure designed to bring them closer to the outdoors. Yet ultimately, it is the same script of consumption that has inspired their division.

Also the 3rd stop- Jenna and Nikki exist in two different potential future realities of Earth. Jenna comes from a reality that was dominated by machines, yet failed and Nature had begun to re-claim, providing a campy perspective on "technology" as tool, foe and friend to grow with. Nikki comes from a reality where a Nature army prevailed. She represents fluidity of growth in her movement yet grounded by the need to fight and protect. Their dance is one of discovery and compromise between the two potential realities. They end with a jousting match that incorporates the Noguchi Marble Slide, that after they are done performing, participants are welcome to try :)

4th Stop- The Met 1 Tequesta Village "Preservation site" Back in 2013 when Met 1 was under construction, during the land survey an Indian Village was uncovered. "Archaeologists who for months have been uncovering mounting evidence of an ancient and extensive Native American village in the middle of downtown Miami have concluded it’s likely one of the most significant prehistoric sites in the United States." (Viglucci, "Prehistoric Village found in Downtown Miami" Miami Herald, 2014) The initial site as designated by Bob Carr spanned an entire 2 lots, yet what has been preserved is a shitty little circle that has no signage, littered with trash and even occludes some of the post holes with the perimeter of the concrete circle. "The city of Miami granted MDM zoning and development approvals for the Met Square project, though not a final building permit, before the full scope of the archaeological finds was known or understood. The site has also yielded thousands of Tequesta artifacts, including bone and shell tools, as well as newly uncovered remnants of industrialist Henry Flagler’s 1897 Royal Palm Hotel, which gave rise to the city of Miami."(Viglucci, "Prehistoric Village found in Downtown Miami" Miami Herald, 2014) I will be doing a plant offering ceremony to the site as a way of bringing love, honor and attention to this Historically and Spiritually important place that is shamefully preserved and represented. I will ask that people who take pictures and share this on social media use the hashtag #met1 and write on the post with the site featured: Shame on Met 1, Bring honor to the Tequesta Village Preservation Site!

The bringers of change. Traveling down a long hallway toward the crowd playing harmony and dissonance on recorders. They prepare the audience for their entrance to the hidden salvation from the confusion of the city.

5th stop- Knight Center People Mover Station (Jenna, Knives) Jenna and Knives will perform a choreography that investigates the ways in which anxiety manifests itself into our gestures and usage of vices/technology and time. Empathy is discovered by passing through the commodification of time. The piece is set to the ticking of a metronome to represent time, as well as the inhale and exhale of breath. As they descend the ominous escalator to the next section they chant the lyrics from a Donzii song

“Nothing takes the place of you

Because time is material

and i’ve gone through you back to me. “

7th Stop- SKY LOUNGE- ( Jenna, Miles, Knives, Nikki, Baker, Misael, Dan, Dennis, Raffa, Gregorio, Eddy) This is the Final stop. It is a magical and strangely empty indoor and outdoor corporate lounge. The outdoor lounge is covered in tree's and limestone and has a lovely view. The goal here is to feed off of the strange desolate feeling of the sky lounge and the omnipotent view offered by the rooftop lounge. The Transnaturism crew has been informed that this rooftop is the last place on Earth that has any green left. It is their home and they are allowing people a glimpse. People will come off the elevator and Dan will appear out of nowhere and loudly go around and around in the revolving door to left of the elevator. Eventually this will lead people out onto the rooftop terrace. Immediately there is a grassy patch that people will see. Jenna and Baker will be doing a joyous, weird star trek next generation, utopian cat dance. From the labyrinth that sits in the middle of the magical pool Misael and Nikki will throw rose petals from the maze leading people to the hallway at the edge of the building. Here Dan, Dennis and Miles begin the marching band of human dissonance and death. Dan at the front leads them down the hallway towards the end. Just past halfway down the Hallway the rest of the lounge inhabitants appear and fetch random computer parts out of the bushes that line the walls. They begin a wild cacophonous street parade behind the serious Death March Crew. The entire cast leads the audeince to to look over the edge where they will see an activation occurring on distant rooftop with Raffa and Gregorio and Frank the Giant Head. Dennis and Miles will be playing music with the gang on the other rooftop from the skylounge.